Craig Morton, the veteran quarterback who made NFL history by becoming the first signal-caller to lead two different franchises to Super Bowl appearances, passed away Saturday at his Mill Valley, California home. He was 83 years old.
The Denver Broncos organization announced Morton’s death through his family members on Saturday.
Morton joins an exclusive group of just four quarterbacks who have started the championship game for multiple teams. Unlike the other three members of this club — Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Kurt Warner — Morton never captured a Super Bowl victory as a starter, though he did earn one championship ring serving in a backup role.
Morton’s initial Super Bowl appearance came during the 1970 season in a mistake-filled Super Bowl V, where the Dallas Cowboys fell to the Baltimore Colts 16-13. Despite the defeat, Morton achieved the milestone of throwing Dallas’s first-ever touchdown pass in a championship contest.
After an unsuccessful period with the New York Giants, Morton found himself facing his former Cowboys teammates seven years later in Super Bowl XII. The veteran quarterback managed just 39 passing yards while throwing four interceptions before coach Red Miller replaced him with Norris Weese in Denver’s 27-10 defeat, beginning the Broncos’ streak of four consecutive Super Bowl losses.
Morton built his reputation on a powerful throwing arm during his standout college years at California, where he played under head coach Marv Levy and assistant coach Bill Walsh before earning induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. The Cowboys selected him fifth overall in the 1965 NFL draft, while Oakland also chose him in the AFL draft’s tenth round.
Upon joining Tom Landry’s Cowboys, Morton found himself behind established starter Don Meredith, appearing in only four contests during his rookie campaign. The following seasons saw Morton competing for playing time with emerging star Roger Staubach during 1970-71, culminating in the Cowboys’ first Super Bowl appearance.
The quarterback competition intensified during the 1971 season, with Morton and Staubach sometimes alternating on consecutive plays. However, Staubach eventually secured the starting position and guided Dallas to Super Bowl victory over Miami, 24-3. Staubach’s Super Bowl MVP performance essentially signaled the conclusion of Morton’s tenure in Dallas.
Dallas traded their veteran backup to New York in 1974, receiving a package that included a draft selection used to acquire Randy White, who later became both a Super Bowl MVP and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee.
While Morton’s performance declined during his Giants years, he experienced a career revival after Denver acquired him prior to the 1977 campaign — a season that established the Broncos as a legitimate contender.
The experienced quarterback provided the missing element for Miller’s Broncos squad, which featured a formidable defense that earned the nickname “Orange Crush.”
Morton guided Denver to a 12-2 regular season record and postseason victories over Pittsburgh and Oakland. Remarkably, he spent the week hospitalized with a hip injury before leading the crucial playoff triumph against division rival Oakland.
Four years later, working under new head coach Dan Reeves — his former Cowboys teammate — Morton enjoyed his most productive statistical season in 1981, throwing for career-best totals of 3,195 yards and 21 touchdowns.
Morton’s career concluded after starting three games during the strike-affected 1982 season. Denver subsequently acquired John Elway, who would eventually surpass Morton as the franchise’s most celebrated number 7.
Over his 18-year professional career, Morton accumulated 27,908 passing yards with 183 touchdown passes and 187 interceptions. At the time of his retirement following the 1982 season, Morton ranked among the top 20 all-time leaders in both passing yards and touchdown passes.
The Broncos honored Morton’s contributions by inducting him into their Ring of Fame in 1988, alongside teammates Haven Moses and Jim Turner from the memorable 1977 squad.
